MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

Nov 06, 08 - 02:13 pm Comment from: flappo

apple are all aboot service and customer satisfaction

this doesn't surprise me

Nov 06, 08 - 02:17 pm Comment from: HazMatt

I second that, flappo. That's been me and my wife's experience for a long time now.

As for this news, I am glad to hear it… I've been waiting months for a Mac mini update!

Still, waiting til January (Apple says no new hardware this year) is a hassle. What about the poor guy who buys them now for his business to get the tax benefit for this year only to have the product updated in January?

Nov 06, 08 - 02:37 pm Comment from: Lurker_PC

@LastOneStanding


As we all know, Apple specifically states that they do not cater to the business community (excluding professional photographers, graphic artists, etc.). That's the reason a tax benefit wouldn't factor into Apple's decision as to when to release new hardware.

Peace.

Nov 06, 08 - 02:42 pm Comment from: Beaker

@nytesky

Where ever the freak he/she is... this one is also for you. Yes, I've iCal'd you, you are a mouth.

Nov 06, 08 - 02:45 pm Comment from: dangerfrog

@ LastOneStanding

Apple has a 30 day return policy. If you buy on Wednesday, December 31, and the new models are announced at MacWorld, you could have the purchase in 2008, but get the 2009 hardware.

@ Lurker_PC

It seems likely that a bigger issue is the lack of significant new chips until the end of the year.

Nov 06, 08 - 02:47 pm Comment from: Tommy Boy

Dear Apple,
Please leave the FireWire and add 802.11n to the Mini. I'll buy three.

Nov 06, 08 - 02:49 pm Comment from: Zune Tang®

This MAC loser should call his local computer store. They can build and customize a PC any way you want and put Windows on it for way less than a toy MAC.

I'm a PC.

Your potential. Our passion.™

The best time to buy a new computer is when you NEED it.

There may occasionally be a business case for making a purchase sooner for "tax planning" reasons,

If one gains a living through the use of technology, one needs to look closely at the financial impact of waiting until that next product refresh or speed bump.

Will the X% improvement in performance save you or your staff time? How much time will be save between now and the likely introduction on a new model. Into how many $$ does that translate.

Piece (MDN word) work defines when one should buy a new computer.

That said..

I lust after an 8 Core MacPro and 30" Cinema Display to replace my PowerMac G4 Dual 1.25 with the 22 in Cinema display....

but I am gonna wait until after MacWorld SF before I make the move.... no reasonable business case for me to buy that machine.. I just WANT it.

Nov 06, 08 - 03:10 pm Comment from: Mac-nugget

I question the veracity of this report. I have no doubt that Apple is working on a headless entry level Mac. What I question is the purported phone call. Apple has a extremely strict policy about not discussing future products. Why would a hi unnamed executive call one user to appease him, braking this policy and more importantly, risking his job. I just don't buy it.

Nov 06, 08 - 03:20 pm Comment from: The Great Microsoft Shiller Massacre

"I have no doubt that Apple is working on a headless entry level Mac. "

I do. It'll NEVER happen, unless there's a way to cripple it (ultra-slow bus speed?) so that it doesn't cannibalized Pro sales. And I don't think that they would purposely do such a thing.

Nov 06, 08 - 03:31 pm Comment from: Macjammer

Where have you been Zune Tang!

Anyway speaking of toys, I installed XP Pro on my Mac Pro so that I can play the latest games.

Which of course makes XP or any Windows what it is - a toy!

As for paying some independent store to custom build my computers I say what a waste of money! If I wanted to have a custom built computer, I'd do it myself - can't get much more custom than that.

Nov 06, 08 - 03:50 pm Comment from: Lurker_PC

@ dangerfrog

Agreed THIS year, the bigger issue is the supply of chips. The point I was trying to make was that in general, Apple does not change it's plans to accomodate the business consumer.

Although I doubt Apple ISN'T aware of the potential of the business consumer. Who's knows maybe this is all part of Apple's strategy to quietly build demand in the business space; Apple is 6, 7, or 8 moves ahead of commodity PC suppliers. Slow and steady...

Reminds me of that South Park episode where Cartman buys his own amusement park and creates a hugh demand by telling everyone they aren't allowed in.

Peace.

Nov 06, 08 - 04:01 pm Comment from: ron

Who woke you from the dead zunetang?

the mac mini has it's purpose and it's NOT to replace an iMac

I run my company with 6 mac Mini's cause it meets my needs. My home computer is an iMac.

if Apple does update with some new upgrades to make them capable of snow leopard all the better. the Mac Mini never has to be fast enough to replace an iMac or put the PRO to shame. If it can match the AIR it has it's place.

Nov 06, 08 - 04:04 pm Comment from: NCIceman

Boy, I need to write this guy too, I have a list of hardware requests:

- Surround sound encoding/card for the Mac/Pro
- Updated graphics cards for the Pro
- new mouse driver that lets us turn accelleration completely off
- updated mini (though I doubt I will buy another one, the one I have serves its need just fine)
- Some kind of monitorless system between the mini and the pro, like the power of an iMac with one PCI slot.
- Updated 17" macbook pro
- dual input monitors (one desk, many computers)

Nov 06, 08 - 04:15 pm Comment from: MacintoshSoftwareList.com

Apple never tells people when they are going to update products. This keeps sales high. Besides, why would a liberal company do anything that helps people? They are just driving around in their limo's smoking cash, right?

Nov 06, 08 - 04:49 pm Comment from: Tommyr

AWESOME news! The Mini RULES! My PPC mini runs 24/7 and almost 5 years old. Never let's me down.

Thanks Apple!

Nov 06, 08 - 05:36 pm Comment from: CYxodus

Zune Tang is back!!

common sense dictates that the new mini will have --

same integrated nvidia gpu as the new macbooks
what I would love to see is a 2 hard drive option, or a 2 full size drive option.. and if they dont give us a pcix16 slot at least give us something better than a god forsaken 9600 POS as an option.

if they want macs to be mainstream, then they need games, if they want games, they need the effing capability to play them. (for less than $2700)

imo they need to upgrade the mini, and make the mini pro, and the "mac" a full featured mini diesktop...

did you know that NONE of the current mac lineup uses standard desktop components, they are all notebook based, or server based... MAKE THE MISSING MAC APPLE!!!!!!!! LET PEOPLE MAKE GRAPHICS CARDS AND COMPONENTS!

Nov 06, 08 - 05:48 pm Comment from: toby

I love my Mac mini. If they update it, I'll probably get a new one (I hope they increase the RAM capacity to 4 gigs).

Nov 06, 08 - 05:57 pm Comment from: Macintosher

@ron

He wasn't dead, but his PC was.

Nov 06, 08 - 06:00 pm Comment from: wyorancher

I think Zune was mesmerized by the ultra creative new MS spots wherein the Windows Fanbois exclaim with the pride of a child who got a "D" in math "I'M A PC!!!"
Gosh - I know I'm impressed.
I wonder why Enderle hasn't submitted his video?

Nov 06, 08 - 06:49 pm Comment from: Lucky Dog, Silicon Valley

Take a look at this Mac Mini facility
http://www.macminicolo.net/facility.html

@tt

Rant much? I don't think Apple needs to be all things to all people and in fact, they're doing quite well on the course S.J. has set for them. All the piss and moaning about graphic cards is baloney. Let it go - you can be perfectly happy without some monster jet engine of a graphics card howling away in your mac - that's what PC's are for.

Play games? Get a console machine. They're much better and more reliable and you can hook them up to a big screen (like I did - PS3 and 60" HDTV <schweet!>).

Nov 06, 08 - 10:50 pm Comment from: bobchr

I use my Mac Mini as a DVR, it makes a hell of a media PC with Elgato eye TV. I can transfer prerecorded documentaries or sitcoms to watch and listen to on my Iphone during long train commutes or plane rides. I have a Belkin media pilot as the keyboard. If I want to add Bluray capability I would just do it with an outboard drive. I would like wireless N though.

Nov 06, 08 - 10:58 pm Comment from: bobchr

My only pet peave about my current set up is Belkin no longer supports the media pilot and a lot of the keyboard functions will not work with Intel based Macs. Here's a link to all the future cry babies that are gonna complain when Apple does not add Blu Ray capability, http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=9815
, with prices like these for combination stand alone Blu Ray Super Drives / Firewire USB hubs you can see why apple is taking the minimalst approach to keep costs reasonable for a decent computing experience.

I am really really happy to hear this. My spare MacMini (I have two, and a MacBook Pro plus a MacBook for my girlfriend) has already won over two longtime Windows fiends to the "light side". It has been borrowed out for months this year to several non-Mac using friends. It has a lot of persuasion power when you bring in the MacMini and say "this little computer can do everything your noisy old big PC box under the table does, without the hassle of Windows, the virus-scare, no clutter and noise." Then I show them iLife with some of their own foto's etc. They play with it a bit and find out it can do so much more and it's so much easier than their crappy PC's and they order a Mac a month or so later.
Also for work (I work for Oracle) I play around with VMWare and Linux a lot, and MacMini are great for building a multinode Oracle system. Don't drop the MacMini because this a winner and after a MacMini, these folks will want a MacBook or iMac pretty soon!

BTW I also you my MacMini as Mediaserver for my AppleTV. A golden combination. I don't know why Steve calls it a hobby. I so good! Two Windows friends who dislike Apple even bought one after seeing a CSI episode in HD on mine and hearing my mantra : "It's like an iPod for your TV, and more!". Just wish we could get TV series and Movies from the Apple store on my AppleTV over here in Europe. I hate it that the legal hassle and market divsion keeps it away from people outside of US/UK. Now I have to go through the loops and the manual labour of HandBrake, VisualHub and Torrents to get some content in. I know I shouldn't, but hey.... I would pay for it if they ley me.

Zuney had to get of the shock of all the news out of Apple in the past 4 weeks: New Laptops, iPhone jumping ahead of RIM to 2nd place for Smartphones and More goodies on the way in January to mention but a few......

What have MicroSloth done as of late - oh yes - "I'm a PC" ....

Sure they will all feel well enough to stop being Lemmings Some day.

Good to hear your back though! Always refreshing!

Nov 07, 08 - 09:10 am Comment from: British Mac Head

@Jos Nijhoff
I'd like to recommend the Elgato turbo 264.

We use it here to compress TV shows that we can't be bothered to wait for on Sky.

It's so much faster to use than handbrake. Not that expensive either.

Nov 07, 08 - 09:51 am Comment from: Grifterus

YAY!! Zune Tang is back!

I just updated my Mom's G4PPC Mac Mini 1.25 for a standard Core Duo via the Refurb page at Apple.com. $499 + tax shipped to my door. She should be good for quite a while as it's used for Eye TV, Office, casual games, e-mail & internet and does a very nice job.

Only problem is I now have a PPC Mini with no wireless to sell. What is the going rate for such a lightly used unit? I don't need the thing and all the family and most friends have been on the Mac for some time now.